The Babenhausen Kaserne


         41st FA GP/Bde

2nd Battalion 83rd Field Artillery


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All Pictures in this section © Duane Lempke




  




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83rd Field Artillery




Distinctive Unit Insignia


Description
A gold color metal and enamel device 1 5/32 inches (2.94 cm) in height overall consisting of the shield and motto of the coat of arms.

Symbolism
The shield is yellow for Cavalry and red for Artillery. The blue chevronel denotes the Regiment’s short period of service overseas during World War I. The Cheyenne warbonnet refers to the birthplace of the organization in Wyoming. The bear, from the crest of the state of California,
commemorates service in the 8th Division at Camp Fremont, California. The canton represents the Regiment’s formation by transfer of men from the 1st Cavalry (formerly 1st Dragoons) in 1917.


Background
The distinctive unit insignia was originally approved for the 83d Field Artillery Regiment on 15 November 1923. It was redesignated for the 83d Field Artillery Battalion on 5 October 1942. It was redesignated for the 83d Armored Field Artillery Battalion on 13 May 1943. The insignia was redesignated for the 83d Field Artillery Battalion on 30 June 1950.
 It was again redesignated for the 83d Artillery Regiment on 21 November 1958.
Effective 1 September 1971, the insignia was redesignated for the 83dField Artillery Regiment. It was amended to reflect the change in symbolism on 10 January 1973. The insignia was amended to correct the symbolism on 12 October 1984.





Coat Of Arms


Blazon
Shield
Party per chevron Or and Gules, a chevronel Azure between in sinister chief a Cheyenne warbonnet and in base a grizzly bear passant both Proper. On a canton Tenné a dragon passant of the first.

Crest

On a wreath of the colors, Or and Gules, a bison statant Argent.

Motto
FLAGRANTE BELLO (During Hostilities).


Symbolism
Shield
The shield is yellow for Cavalry and red for Artillery. The blue chevronel denotes the Regiment’s short period of service overseas during World War I. The Cheyenne warbonnet refers to the birthplace of the organization in Wyoming. The bear, from the crest of the state of California,
commemorates service in the 8th Division at Camp Fremont, California. The canton represents the Regiment’s formation by transfer ofmen from the 1st Cavalry (formerly 1st Dragoons) in 1917.

Crest

The crest also symbolizes the birthplace of the organization.

Background
The coat of arms was originally approved for the 83d Field Artillery Regiment on 18 March 1920. It was redesignated for the 83d Field Artillery Battalion on 5 October 1942. It was
redesignated for the 83d Armored Field Artillery Battalion on 13 May 1943. The insignia was redesignated for the 83d Field Artillery Battalion on 30 June 1950. It was again redesignated for the 83d Artillery Regiment on 21 November 1958. Effective 1 September 1971, the insignia was redesignated for the 83d Field Artillery Regiment. It was amended to reflect the change in symbolism on 10 January 1973. The coat of arms was amended to correct the symbolism on 12 October 1984.




 



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The

Early History
 of the
 83rd Field Artillery







The 83rd Field Artillery Battalion is a descendant of the First Regiment of Cavalry, organized by an act
of Congress on June 15th, 1832 as the Battalion of Mounted Rangers, later redesignated the First
Regiment of Cavalry.

On June 3, 1916, one third of the personnel of the First Cavalry became cadre for the 25th Cavalry
regiment. The 25th Cavalry was converted and redesignated the 83rd Field Artillery Regiment on
November 11, 1917, with station at Fort D.A. Russel,Wyoming.

The new 83rd Field Artillery Regiment
was then assigned to the 8th Artillery Brigade of the 8th Regular Army Division.


Postcard of 2/83 at Ft. Benning


In February 1918, the Regiment left Fort D.A. Russel for Camp Fremont, California where it joined the
other two Regiments of the Brigade (81st and 82nd).

On July 1, 1918, the 83rd left Camp Fremont for
Fort Sill, Oklahoma. After a short stay at Fort Sill, the Regiment set sail for France, arriving at Brest on November 9, 1918.

The Regiment acted as body guard to President Wilson during his stay in France.

The 83rd sailed from France in 1919 and was initially stationed at Fort Knox, Kentucky, 1918.

During November 1919, the horses were turned in and the 83rd became a tractor drawn regiment.

The First Battalion was placed on detached service at Fort Benning, Georgia and began its function as the
Artillery demonstration Battalion for the Infantry School.

In October of 19/40 the 83rd Field Artillery Regiment moved from Fort Benning to Fort Jackson, S.C.



Postcard from 1938 showing 2/83 at Ft. Bragg NC.


then on January 9, 1941, the Second Battalion was designated as the 70th FA Battalion, and the Third
Battalion as the 71st FA Battalion.
First Battalion was redesignated as the 83rd Field Artillery
Battalion.

The 83rd Armored Field Artillery Battalion was inactivated at Camp Patrick Henry, Virginia on October
7, 1945 and was reactivated and redesignated the 83rd Field Artillery Battalion (105mm truck drawn) at
Fort Benning Georgia August 1, 1946.

The Battalion was again inactivated at Fort Benning, Georgia on November 23, 1948.

The Battalion became reactivated at Fort Bragg, N.C. on February 11, 1950 (155mm Gun Towed).

The Korean conflict started June 27, 1950, and the 83rd Field Artillery Battalion contributed to this
emergency by sending trained men into the combat area. It continued to do this until after the cease fire
agreement July 27, 1953.

The 83rd Artillery was one of the unit designations selected to be retained under the combat arms
regimental system. The 83rd FA Battalion at Fort Bragg, N.C. was redesignated the First Howitzer
Battalion, 83rd Artillery. This Battalion is a 8" self-propelled Howitzer unit.
 
The 593rd FA Battalion
was redesignated the 2nd How Bn, 83d Artillery in July 1958 with station in Buedingen, Germany.


Sources Internet






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2nd Battalion 83rd
Field Artillery




The Commanders





LTC Tucker
1969-1971

LTC Boylan
1971-1973

LTC Keith Seago
1973-1975

LTC William T. Zaldo III
1975-1977

LTC George Moses
1977-1979

LTC Charles Palmer
1979 - 1981

LTC Albert E. Carlson
1981-1983

LTC Duane Lempke
1984-1986

LTC Bart Barcellos
1986-1988



 






Col Duane Lempke
1984-1986


LTC. Lempke and Mrs Leyda
Thanksgiving 1984



Fasching 1985


Click here to read Col Lempkes Biography








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Brigade and Battalion coins



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 SVC Btry M88 
2nd 83rd FA

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Reforger 1985 Central Guardian

(Return of Forces to Germany)
21 January - 31 January 1985

Units involved:
US V Corps
8th Infantry Division MECH
11th ACR
197th INF BDE
3rd Armored Division
4th Infantry Division
Total Troops involved:
72.000








A common site to see in the 1980's,
small German towns and NATO convoys.
 Near Giessen Germany

1985





C Battery rumbles through a German town
1985




Somewhere  in Hessen Germany




2nd 83rd FA on the move in a typical North Hesssian landscape




Never met a Soldier that liked maneuvers in the Winter time
















Field Artillery in the snow
1985
(source Internet)


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2nd 83rd FA at Graf




A Battery on the move







C Battery Gun, being positioned




Raising the cammo netting





The Guns in Graf




Dropping the Spade


A Battery .50 cal




C24 backing onto the spade






Moving into position










Ready to Fire











Chow time in the field





Loading an A Battery Gun



Positioning the ammunition carrier




A 2nd 83rd FA
Fire Battery on the move




Washing the "cars" after a long day at work


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The 2nd 83rd FA Hardware



2nd 83rd Motor pool














The Babenhausen motorpool


The Babenhausen motorpool

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Finally, Going Home...to Babenhausen




Loading the guns onto flatbead railway cars




Don't want to lose on on the way




Almost ready to leave for home





Home at last




Main Gate Babenhausen Kaserne




SVC Battery rumbles in




Home sweet home

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Battalion HQ
















In the 2nd Bn Orderly Room

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The Birds View










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The Thunderbolt Team






































A Battery change of command







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Ammo Resupply in the field





Loading projectiles



Ammo resupply




Big bullets





















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The 2nd 83rd Off Duty


Fuzzball at it's finest, Lt. Parsley drops on into the net

If you can't kick it, throw it.....

Thunderbolt "Pie eaters"

The Thunderbolt Basketball team






2nd 83rd Awards Presentation


The Thunderbolt Battery races


Winners of the "Thunderbolt Classic"


The annual Christmas party for the local Orphanage



Holding on to a long Army tradition in Babenhausen,

that first started in 1951.



The Thunderbolt Football team, winners of the 1984 Darmstadt community championships



Tug o War Thunderbolt style


If you can't drive them, tow them


Fasching in Babenhausen



All photos used with permission from

Duane Lempke

©2013



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A 2nd/83rd, M110A2 at an open house event
at Babenhausen
-1984-




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